Diocesan News

Account of the Visit of Abbot Metodije to the Monastery of St. Paisius

Created on Thursday, 04 September 2014 19:05

Visit of His Grace Bishop Maxim with his honored guest, Abbot Metodije of Hilandar Monastery

With joy the sisterhood--headed by Abbess Michaila and the priests of the Monastery, Archimandrite Dorotheos and Protopriest David--awaited the arrival of His Grace and his honored guests at the pathway leading to the Catholicon. Before beginning the procession to the Catholicon, Abbot Metodije (at His Grace’s request) was clothed in a brightly colored mandiya, as is customary for those of his rank. Then began a formal procession into the Catholicon, and the Abbot and our Bishop ascended their thrones, where everyone came and received a blessing. A litany was offered, and the choir of sisters chanted the “Polychronion” to Abbot Metodije, who shared with the Sisters very moving words, about how the atmosphere of the monastery church was such a beautiful echo of the Holy Mountain, and how the Mother of God’s presence was so apparent.

Abbot Metodije visits Jackson

Diocesan Days 2014 and visit of Abbot Metodije of Hilandar

Created on Sunday, 31 August 2014 21:12

The theme for the eighteenth annual Diocesan Days gathering in the Western Diocese of the Serbian Orthodox Church in North and South America was The Holy Mountain, Hilandar, and Us. The celebration took place from Friday, August 29th through Sunday, August 31st, 2014 at St. Sava Mission and St. Sava parish in Jackson, California. The host of this most spiritually uplifting gathering was diocesan bishop, His Grace Kyr Maxim. The organizational aspect of the celebration was carried out by parishes from northern California, while Protopresbyter Steven Tumbas was chairman.

Abbot Metodije at Church Slava in Fair Oaks, The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Created on Thursday, 28 August 2014 10:52

Our beloved Church of The Assumption of The Blessed Virgin Mary in Fair Oaks, CA, has once again concluded a true celebration in honor of Our Protectoress. Our celebration this year began on Wednesday evening August 27 with the celebration of Great Vespers and Artoklasia (The Blessing of the 5 Loaves, Wheat and Oil).

Abbot Metodije visited the St. Herman Monastery in Platina

Created on Wednesday, 27 August 2014 08:51

On August 14/27, 2014, the Forefeast of the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos, His Grace Bishop Maxim visited the St. Herman Monastery in Platina, California, together with the Western American Diocese’s special guests Abbot Archimandrite Metodije and Monk Damaskin of the Holy Monastery of Hilandar on Mount Athos, and Milivoj Randjic, Director of the Foundation of the Holy Monastery Hilandar in Belgrade.

Bishop Maxim and the guests arrived in the morning, and went in procession to the monastery church, where the hierarchical Divine Liturgy was celebrated. Serving together with His Grace and Iguman Metodije were Abbot Damascene and Hieromonk Paisius of the St. Herman Monastery. During the Liturgy, at the time of the Small Entrance, Iguman Metodije tonsured two of the monastery’s ryassaphore monks, Fr. Gabriel and Fr. Moses, into the small schema (stavrophore). At the tonsure, the monks were given the names Salathiel (after the Holy Archangel Salathiel - 2 Esdras 5:16) and Ignaty (after St. Ignatius Brianchaninov, a great monastic teacher of 19th century Russia), respectively.